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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26654788">A Light in the Darkest of Places</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandancie/pseuds/Mandancie'>Mandancie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Gen, Male-Female Friendship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:36:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,461</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26654788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandancie/pseuds/Mandancie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate reality of the meeting between Severus and Lily. Enjoy!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lily Evans Potter &amp; Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Light in the Darkest of Places</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A Light in the Darkest of Places</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mahoutokoro: A light at the end of the tunnel: light vs. dark</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Prompt: Emotion [Weariness]</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Prompt: Colour [Blue (meaning depression)]</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Word Count: 1401</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>A/U: This story follows a little of the meeting of Severus and Lily, but there are a subtle difference as to the reactions between the characters.</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>"A light to banish dark times can come in different shapes, be it hope or oncoming headlight."</em>
</p><p>Severus Snape has been spiraling down a cold abyss of despair his entire life. His father was less than loving, seeing his son as a punching bag. His mother was too caught up in her own depression to even notice him. She never showed him any comfort.</p><p>Severus' only means of escape was educating himself. He wanted to learn as much as he could. Severus learned early that he had to hide from his father. Tobias Snape would come home from work tired, drunk. If there was nothing to eat, Tobias would take his frustrations out on his son.</p><p>One dreary day, Tobias was off from work.</p><p>"Where are you?" Tobias' voice thundered through the house.</p><p>Severus slowly walked out of his room to find his father. He knew if his father was already screaming, then it wasn't going to be a good day.</p><p>Tobias was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Severus stopped midway down. The first thing Severus noticed was the strap in his father's hand. Severus' heart started thumping in his chest as if his heart was punching against his breastbone.</p><p>"What did I tell you to do?"</p><p>"Uh…I was g…going to—" Severus stuttered.</p><p>Tobias reached his son in two strides, gripping his arm and bringing him down the last few steps. Severus' feet hardly touched a step.</p><p>The strap landed on Severus' back before he could get a firm footing. Tobias raised his hand for another swing when Severus snatched his arm from his dad's grasp and ran out of the house. The young Snape boy ran as fast as he could down the back streets of Spinner's End.</p><p>Severus knew he would pay for escaping punishment with his father, but at that moment, he didn't care.</p><p>At the end of the street, there was a small park area. It was one of Severus' secret places. He loved the park. There were a few people who came to the park, but they ignored the small, skinny boy with oversized clothes.</p><p>Severus stopped running at the edge of the park to catch his breath. When his breathing came to a normal rhythm, Severus sought out his particular spot. There was a colossal yew tree next to a small creek. Severus loved it there. In its trunk, the tree had a hole so big that Severus could hide inside it.</p><p>On days like this one, the trunk of his yew tree was his sanctuary. Severus curled inside the tree. The adrenaline in his body started calming down. His heartbeat started to calm. His breathing regulated back to normal.</p><p>Severus leaned his head back and thought about his life; it was dark. He didn't want to be noticed. He hid in the shadows. As long as he stayed hidden, no one could find him and hurt him. His dad would not find him. Severus closed his eyes and let the darkness totally consume him.</p><p>Severus' eyes opened. He didn't realize he fallen asleep. It took him a moment for his mind to come out of the fog of sleep. He looked around and noticed that he was in his tree. Severus was about to contemplate his situation when he heard the most beautiful sound.</p><p>"Tuney, check this out."</p><p>Severus slid closer to the opening of the tree. He looked out and saw the fiery red hair. It flowed in the shallow breeze like the waves in the sea. The girl had her back to him.</p><p>The girl picked one of the buds from the ground and put it in her hand. The flower started to bloom in her hand.</p><p>"That's not natural! You're a freak!"</p><p>Further down, the small hill was another girl. She had brown hair, and it was tied back in a ponytail.</p><p>"You're a freak," the brown-headed girl screeched. "Mummy will learn you're a freak."</p><p>"Stop calling her that," Severus said, stepping out of the tree.</p><p>The two girls turned to see who spoke. Speaking out surprised himself as well as the two girls. The girl at the bottom of the hill looked at Severus with disgust. For the first time in a long time, Severus was self-conscious of his appearance. He usually didn't care how he looked; it was all he had.</p><p>"What are you going to do?" Petunia sneered. "You're just a homeless tramp."</p><p>"Tuney, that's not nice," Lily reprimanded.</p><p><em>Someone stood up for me,</em> Severus thought. He looked at the red-headed girl, and it looked as if there was a shimmering glow. He felt like a moth floating towards the light, but this light would not hurt him. It would bring brightness to Severus' otherwise dreary world.</p><p>"What's not nice?" Petunia sassed back. "Look at him." She waved her arm in Snape's direction. "Look at his clothes. He probably stinks. But then again, maybe you two are great together, you freak."</p><p>Severus heard the intake of breath from his source of light beside him. He looked at the girl and saw that her light was dimming. The boy couldn't allow that to happen.</p><p>"I said stop calling her that," Severus growled.</p><p>The yew tree started shaking. Petunia's smug face changed to terror. One of the thinner limbs swung low, striking her across her bum. She shrieked from the assault.</p><p>Lily watched in awe seeing the tree limbs move. When her sister was struck, Lily couldn't help the snort of laughter.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Petunia said, trying to dodge another swinging limb. "Make it stop."</p><p>"I'm not doing anything," Lily said, trying not to smile.</p><p>Lily looked over at the boy and saw that he was staring at her sister.</p><p>"Tell her you're sorry," Severus said in a deadpan voice.</p><p>"What?" Petunia screeched as she dodged another limb.</p><p>"Tell her you're sorry," Severus repeated.</p><p>"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Petunia said quickly. "Make it stop."</p><p>Severus blinked, and the limbs stopped moving. Petunia was breathing heavily, trying to keep her tears at bay. Without saying another word, Petunia turned and ran away. Severus turned and looked at the girl standing next to him. Her light was brighter than it was when he first saw her.</p><p>"Are you all right?" Severus asked. His voice was soft.</p><p>"Uh, yeah," Lily said. "Thank you. She's always spiteful. My name is Lily."</p><p>Severus smiled shyly, "My name is Severus."</p><p>"It's nice to meet you, Severus," Lily said, smiling. She held out her hand.</p><p>Severus slowly walked closer to Lily and grasped the awaiting hand. Severus was engulfed in light. The light showed all around him; the light was intoxicating. He never wanted to leave it. He wanted to protect it. For the first time in a long time, Severus smiled.</p><p>Severus stayed where he was while Lily walked closer to the yew tree.</p><p>"I wonder how that happened," Lily said whimsically, "the limbs moving on their own."</p><p>Severus bent down and picked up a blade of grass. Lily turned to see what Severus was doing. Holding out his hand, Severus made the grass float over to her.</p><p>"You can do it too?" Lily asked, but it came out as a statement.</p><p>"I'm a wizard," Severus said. "You're a witch. You'll be able to do a lot more than blooming a flower."</p><p>"How do you know?" Lily asked.</p><p>"My mother," Severus said. "She told me all about it."</p><p>"Wow," Lily sounded amazed. "That's awesome."</p><p>"I can tell you more if you want," Severus said.</p><p>"Oh, yes," Lily said.</p><p>The two of them sat under the yew tree. Severus regaled her of everything his mother told him, from being magical to the school they would go to. Lily hung on every word Severus said.</p><p>As time went on, Lily and Severus met at the yew tree almost every day. They talked for hours. Severus no longer saw the yew tree as a dark place to hide. It was now a ray of light that he wanted to spend all his time. Even after Lily would leave, Severus would stay at the tree. His dad wouldn't always be home, but Severus was reluctant to leave his light to go back to the dark.</p><p>When it was time for both to head to Hogwarts, Severus and Lily promised to always be friends. Severus liked that idea; he would always be close to his light.</p><p>
  <strong>THE END</strong>
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